Enhancing School Adjustment of elementary school pupils with Group counselling

Literature Review

The following chapter is a review of past literature relevant to the school adjustment of pupils . The first section of literature will consist of defining adjustment and relative theories according to existing literature which could be used in solving problems associated with school adjustment . The second half of the review will discuss previous studies concerning a variety of s and how the research affects the implementation of group counselling on the adjustment of pupils in elementary school

The Meaning and Nature of Adjustment

A child 's adjustment into

a school setting can be difficult and have lasting problems if not approached appropriately . A few considerations for successful adjustment are the developmental tasks of various stages an individuals coping and flexibility skills , and the potent systemic and contextual factors of influence (Akos , para .1 , 2002 . To accurately measure a student 's school adjustment progress , Daniel Shek (2002 ) suggests evaluating a pupil 's academic performance and school conduct

The most difficult of transitions for pupils , according to Akos (2002 is that of leaving elementary school and entering middle school . It is during this time that both male and female pupils experience higher emotions , physical and emotional change as well as social pressure (2002 . Most of these changes are brought on by the onset of puberty which will be further discussed in the Gender and School Adjustment section of this chapter . It is also during this time that many students are more defiant of adults (2002 . As Akos (2002 ) explains , the increase in emotions and changes create a stressful situation for many students causing a significant increase in psychological distress (para .4 The psychological stress has proven to cause developmental and academic problems for a student (2002

An interesting discussion in Akos (2002 ) publication was the research on pupil motivation and attitudes , which is a significant indicator of adjustment problems . School motivation and attitudes tend to decline in middle school , Akos , discusses the stage-environment fit , used by Eccles (1993 , as cited in Akos , 2002 ) to explain the poor fit between the developmental needs of preadolescents and the environment of middle school or junior high school (para .5 , 2002 . During secondary school student are more aware of their , and their friends , social or popularity status . There is also an increase in competition , grades , sports popularity etc (2002

The Friendship Factor . Not surprisingly , friendships in primary and secondary school can play a significant role in the adjustment of pupils when in transition . One study (Berndt , et al , 1999 ) revealed a positive correlation between the effects of secondary school transition , or early adolescents ' transition , on adjustment . Berndt 's (et al , 1999 ) study discussed the varying results of studies from the early 1980s to the 1990s many studies demonstrated opposing results concerning the effects of self-esteem , gender differences and social and academic self-concepts (para .5 . When discussing cognitive competence past studies revealed

The evidence is equally mixed for measures of students ' social and academic self-concepts . In one study , students perceived their social ability as lower...